Steering mechanism for motor vehicles



March 8, 1932. I w, BELL 1,84%.096

STEERING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Original Filed Oct. 23. 1922 I IINVENTOR 9 5} W BELL.

BY m 9* W 1 A TTORNE Y V pmplnafter appear i ing column to PatentedMar.- 8, 1932 is STATES TEN [FQFFICE HARVEY w. BELL, or ARns'LE onBunsen, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR- To THEVZBEILOYT CORIBORATION,IOF NEW YoRK,ZN. YQ, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE i-s'rEERING MECHANISM FOR MOTORVEHICLES Original application This invention relates to steering mechanism in motor vehicles and has for its 'prin: cipal object to reduce thenumber of metallic,-

and the mechanism is caused to operate more quietly thanheretofore.

p The present invention is a'divisio'n of I 7 I 111g knuckle arm l5 -andclamping'plate 14 pending application, Serial No'.596,25 for flexibleconnections for motor vehicles, filed October 23,1922 l i l 1 Otherobjects and advantages will 'here- In the drawings forming apart of thisspecification: i 'Figure: 1} is a plan viewyqpartlybroken away, showingthe connection, from theisteer the 'front wheels offa'motor vehicle; andi' Figure 2 is a'si The drawings illustrate the use of flexible,non-metallic connections between the various parts of the steeringmechanismof a vehicle. The steering column (not shown) is connected torotate a rock armlf abouta-transversely extend-ingihorizontal pintle 1as an axis to move'an arm 1 at the outer end of the rock arm 1 forwardand backward.- The arm lis clamped'by means ofjs'uitable bolts 2,washers 3 and nuts (notshown) to a horizontally disposed; flexible, 'nonmetallic,inelastic plate or disc 4 such plate'being preferably formed ofrubberized fabric. 1 The ar'm'l is narrow and extends along a diameterof the disc 4, being clamped to thefdisc at opposite ends of suchdiameter.' A {substantially horizontal rod 5 is disposed at the oppositeside of the disc fromthe arm 1, toeXtend along di ameter of the: discsubstantially at right anglesto the arm 1. This rod isalso narrow and isclamped to the disc at diametrically opposite points by any suitablemeans,"a s by bolts 6. i

At its forward endtherod 5 has an elbow 7,* the outer end of which isprovided with a Vertical plate 8,- preferably integralwith the rod. Abearing and' clamping plate fl -extends vertically, -'in contact withthe plate '8; and

1 v p p vehicle. de, sectional elevation showj- "p o a eme ts 'betweente a m 1 and rod 7 V mg such connection;

, fabric discs.

together Withfthe plate 8 is clampedto a vertically disposed'plate ordisc 10 by means ofbolts 11, washers 12- and nuts 13, the connec? tionsto the plate. being made at diametricaL ly opposite points, A longitudinallyextend;

ing clamping an'dlbe'aring' plate 14 is disposed at-the opposite side ofthe flexible disc from the cl'ampingiplate 9 and liesin contact filedOctober 234922, Serial No. 596,250, and in. Great Britain June 4,1925.Divided and thisapplication filed August 24, 1926. Serial No, 131,143. Aa Y With .asteering' knucklei'jarrn '15 The'steelF. I

are secured at diametrically opposite points to the fle'xiblejdisUlObymeans of bolts'16,

washers l7oandnuts18. The steering knuckle arm 15 is integral with thewheelispindle19 of the left front wheel of the vehiclegso that ing of,the arm '1' is eflective torotate' the spindle 19 about a king bolt 20that pivotally connects the spindleto the-front axle 210]? the In suchoperation the] necessary '65 through thefdescrib'ed "connections theturn- 7 5 and between'the rod 5 and steering knuckle v arm 15 areprovided'by the flexibility of In order to cause the right frontwheelto" turn substantially in unison with the left one,

therightwheel spindle 22 and the left wheel spindle 19'are provided withrearwardly ex- 1 tending arms 23 and 24 respectively which a'reconnectedfor substantially parallel movement by a rod 25.

' flexible discs 28 by bolts 29, washers 30 and nuts 31, the pointsof'connectionb-eing located at opposite ends ofthe vertical diameter ofthe disc. The rod25 terminates in a horizontally ext-ending, flattenedportion 32 wh ch,

together with a clamping'plate 33.;is' connected at diametricallyopposite points to the flexible discs 28 by means of bolts 34,1wash-ers35 and nuts 36; The connection between the arm. 28 and the rod 25 beingexactly like that I Between each ofthe arms 23and 2 and the of the'arm24c and the rod 25, need not be described in detail. Upon rotation ofthe' left wheel spindle about the king bolt 20=therarm v 24: is causedto rotate and to move the rod 25 longitudinally. Since the rod 25 ismaintained substantially parallel to the front axle 21, such movementnecessarily involves a change in the angular relation of the arm 2d andthe rod .25. The flexible connection described provides for suchmovement by the flexing of the discs 28. Similarly the connectionbetween the arm 23 and the rod 25 provides for relative angular movementof these elements.

The described construction involves no relatively movable metallicparts, and hence requires no lubrication and cannot squeak or rattle inuse. The'parts are of such character that no lubrication whatever isrequired, and as these connections are located in somewhat inaccessiblepositions underneath the vehicle body, the avoidance of lubrication is apoin of considerable advantage.

It will be observed that the flexible discs 1 are arranged horizontallyand that the flexible discs 10 are arranged vertically. This is a pointof considerable importance for the reason that the steering column ismounted upon a sprung part of the vehicle, whereas the wheel Spindle 19is an unsprung part. There must, therefore, beprovision for considerablerelative movement between the steering column and the spindle 19 as theVehicle travels. Much of thisrelative movement occurs in a verticaldirection and is taken care ofin the steering connection by flexingofthe horizontally disposed plates i, and a corresponding slight angularyield'in the vertically disposed plates 10. It will be seen, therefore,that the described connections are not rigid, but that they are Welladapted to form a flexible operating connection between the sprung andunsprung parts.

The association of the horizontally disposed plates 4 with the arm 1,and the association of the vertically disposed plates 10 with thesteering knuckle arm 15 is also important. The operation of the steeringwheel swings the arm 1 about the axis of the'pintle 1 as a center,changing the angular relationship, in a vertical plane, of the arm 1 androd 5. The horizontally disposed plates i are capable of flexing to takecare of this relative movement, without permitting lost motion.Similarly the longitudinal movement of the rod 5 swings the arm 15 aboutthe axis of t is king bolt 20 as a center. changing the angularrelationship, in a horizontal plane, of the rod 5 steering column armmounted on a sprungpart of the vehicle, a wheel spindle constituting anunsprung part, and flexible means interposed between the steering columnarm and the Wheel spindle for turning the latter from the former,comprising a horizontally disposed, flexible plate arranged to flexabout ahorizontal axis when the sprung and unsprung parts movevertically with relation to one another, a vertically disposed, flexibleplate arranged to flex about a vertical axis when the sprung andunsprung parts move laterally with relation to one another, and along,rigid thrust rod rigidly connected at opposite ends thereof to theplates.

2. In a motor vehicle, in combination, a steering column arm mounted ona sprung part of the vehicle, a wheel spindle constituting an unsprungpart, and flexible means interposed between the steering column arm andthe wheel spindle for turning the latter from the former, comprising ahorizontally disposed, flexible plate arranged to flex about ahorizontalaxis when the sprung and unsprung parts move vertically with relation toone another, and a vertically disposed, flexible plate arranged to flexabout a Vertical axis'jwhen the sprung and unsprung parts move laterallywith relation to one another, said horizontal and vertical plates beingboth arranged to flex also about horizontal .axes extendinglongitudinally of the vehicle. 7 i

3. In a steering mechanism for motor vehicles. in combination, amanually controlled operating member constituting a sprung part, anoperated member constituting .an unsprung part, and operatingconnections between said members comprising a connecting rod, andflexible plates at opposite ends of the rod connecting it to saidoperating and operated members respectively, said plates being disposedsubstantially at right angles to .one another.

"4. In a'motor vehicle steering gear. in combination, an operating armpivoted on the vehicle body for fore and aft swinging movement about ahorizontal axis, and'constituting a sprung part, a thrust rod extendingforwardly therefrom. a steering knuckle constituting an unsprung partpivoted on the front axle for swinging-movement about a vertical axisand having an arm whoseend swings in a fore and aft direction, ahorizontally disposed flexible plate fixedly secured upon one axis tothe arm on the vehicle body and upon a transverse axis to the thrust 1rod. and a longitudinally extending. vertically disposed, flexible plateinterposed between the thrust rod and the steering knuckle arm andfixedly secured to one of them upon a horizontal axis and to the otherupon a vertical axis.

5. In a steering mechanism for a motor vehicle including a wheel axleand a steering member, operating connections between the steering memberand the axle including a rod and a member of flexible material connectedto the axle and the rod at quadrangularly'related points,- the points ofconnection to the j rod being located at opposite ends of'one diagonaland the points of connection to the axle being located at opposite endsof the otherdiagonal. I I

6. In a steering mechanism for a motor vehicle including a Wheel axleand a-steering member, operating connections between the steering memberand the axle including a rod and a member of flexible material rigid- 1yconnected to the axle and to the rod at quadrangularly related points,the points of connection to the rod being located at opposite ends ofone diagonal and the points of connection to the axle being located atopposite ends of the other diagonal.

In testimony whereofg'I have afiixed my signature to this specification.V V

1 HARVEY .W. BELL.

